We made the kit that makes Freeview HD possible, boasts NEC

NEC piped up this week to reveal it supplied the DVB-T2 kit used to begin Freeview HD broadcasts earlier this month.

The installation of the NEC equipment was overseen by the BBC and Arqiva, the company that owns the UK's terrestrial transmitter network.

"DVB-T2 technology will deliver an increase in capacity of 67 per cent to the BBC's Multiplex B, efficiently creating the space needed for UK public service broadcasters' HD transmissions," NEC said.

NEC provided equipment for the original Freeview DVB-T roll out in 1998.

Freeview HD began transmitting on 2 December, but so far there's no kit available to receive the transmissions. Set-top box maker Humax this week confirmed it plan to introduce its HD-Fox-T2 DVR next year. So did new entrant 3view.

Humax hasn't said precisely when its box will launch, beyond "early 2010", but 3view told us its STB, which will also provide web access if you link its Ethernet port to your router, will go on sale in March 2010. ®